Cat HM418C Mulcher- Which teeth to get?

[labradorguy]

Hello all. I'm looking at adding a Cat HM418C mulcher to my operation. It'll be used for some post logging cleanup work, getting tops down on the ground to rot quicker, cleaning up old fencerows, putting in quad trails, reclaiming old fields taken over by cedars, etc... The usual kind of stuff. 

My question is, in our Missouri hills soil is one of those things that comes and goes as you move across them. Some of the cedars are growing on an inch of dirt I swear. Even in the bottomland along the creeks, rocks can be found scattered throughout the fields. We have 150 year old rock fences along all the creeks to prove that.  :D

I consider myself a pretty good operator who really takes care of his equipment. I was planning on setting the skids where it won't let the teeth get down too low so I am not throwing dirt and sparking chert all the time, but occasional rocks here and there will be inevitable. Anything that has to really get down to or a little below grade, I'm planning on using my Marshall Tree Saw on. I was thinking maybe drop the trees with the Marshall then walk the FAE through them? 

Cat/FAE offers several selections regarding the teeth and I am wondering which ones to get in this type of environment and applications. They have Standard Carbide, Rock Resistant, Chisel, and Side Cutter as options when ordering.

I like chisel teeth on my saws, but if these are along the same lines, I can't imagine they would work. I don't want to spend half the day sharpening. I've no clue what application side cutter would be for. ?? I was originally thinking standard carbide but then I saw the rock resistant ones and am wondering what those are... Anybody know the difference? If so, what are the pros and cons between standard carbide and rock resistant. I saw one outfit had these square teeth that a person can rotate three times before trashing. That looked good.

My sales guy is getting some info for me but I sure would like to hear from the guys who are using them everyday. Thanks Gents.

[pine]

I have an Fecon HDT rotor with double carbide tools (teeth) and I got it because it was the best design for my application. There are many operators that love their chipper teeth some of which you described and they sharpen every day or twice a day and replace between 75 and 150 hours at $3000 or so a pop.  If you are going to operate in or near rocks go with the carbide teeth.  The result is not as fine a mulch as the knives will give you but unless you are "parking out the place" who cares.  I like the result of the double carbide way better than knives but I am in a forestry situation, not a pretty looking parcel for show.   Having a variable size of CWD at the end is actually better for the long term health of the forest, but it is a function of what you want.   I believe the CAT 418 is a FAE head and I am not certain if they have a double carbide.  I am a FECON guy for many reasons.  To some degree it is a Chevy/Ford/Dodge thing however.  FAE was very challenging to truly get the real answer on their teeth options when I was making my decision back 4 years ago.  Maybe it is different now but in a quick search this morning I found much the same issues I did 4 years ago. 
FECON support is great.  There has been nothing in the past 4 years that had made me question the decision I made to go double carbide.  I have hit many rocks, some very large (boulder size), in the overgrowth and the double carbides have chewed up rock leaving furrows in the rock and I fear every time that something has broken but so far there is not even significant wear on them.